The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis toured the East Bay Street area yesterday and said the government would fix drainage issues, but some are concerned the project is gearing up without their input and would hurt their business if roads are uprooted.

Mr Davis and various officials, including Works Minister Clay Sweeting, toured the area yesterday.

Mr Davis, a previous holder of the office of Minister of Works, said he is familiar with the challenges and that relief from the flooding woes is underway.

“Yes, when you have a downfall, there will be some retention,” he said. “The question is how long will that retention remain and throughout.”

“I’ve been seeing remarkable results from what has been happening, and once completed, I think the drainage will be that much quicker than it is now.”

Mr Sweeting said as a Ministry of Works team works on drainage systems in the area, it will emphasise cleanliness. 

He said a collaborative approach among utility companies would ensure the removal of Water and Sewerage Corporation and Bahamas Power and Light materials, which may be blocking drains.

“We’ll remove those, get them realigned so that hopefully in the not too distant future we’ll have proper drainage here in downtown, Dowdeswell Street and also proper roadworks,” he said.

He said up to $2m has been allocated for drainage works, and the Davis administration is looking to increase the budget for road works from $15m to $45m or more in the next budget cycle.

Cristobal Gomez, general manager of Nassau Tile, the second oldest business on Dowdeswell Street after The Tribune, commended Senator Randy Rolle and the Downtown Revitalisation Unit for engaging stakeholders but said the Ministry of Works has not communicated its plan or timeframe for the drainage repair project.

“While the prime minister’s brief visit to Dowdeswell Street today with a large delegation and the now famous luxury BMW was nice, what would be better would be clear communication from the government to area residents, businesses, and property owners of what the scope of work and timeframe is,” he said.

“No one is denying the work needs to be done but the Ministry of Public Works should communicate clearly, consistently, and frequently to area stakeholders so that we can mitigate the negative economic impact of the project.”

Senator Rolle told The Tribune his team will ensure stakeholders receive the necessary information.